Blogging here has been a little slow this past week as I’ve been working on a few projects, some of which will be appearing in these pages real soon™, while one is now available to see.
The Holly Kai Park website has been given a makeover with what we hope is a new, clean design with a splash page, tidier menu system and a lot of updated information following the recent changes to the park itself.
The new Holly Kai Park splash screen – click to visit the site
There’s still some tweaks to be done with the website, but with all that is going on, we wanted to get the new design rolled out – just don’t be surprised if there are some further small changes.
Because there is so much going on, our regular Art at the Park events had been put on hold for a time. However, these will be resuming in the near future, as will the Stories at the Park series which accompany them.
In the meantime, and as a reminder, the main SLurls for the park are listed below, and Caitinara Bar is open to all for our DJ sessions every Wednesday and Friday from 16:00 SLT through 18:00 SLT.
Brique Zeiner (Brique Topaz in SL), the driving force behind Feed A Smile and some of the Kenya children from poor families for whom the programme provides daily warm meals
We’ve made another small but important change at Holly Kai Park. Following discussions with Brique Topaz of Feed A Smile, we’re very pleased to announce that from February 2017 onwards, Holly Kai Park is an official supporter of Feed A Smile.
Feed A Smile is a programme run by Live and Learn Kenya (LLK) to provide nutritious warm lunches for over 400 children every day, paid for entirely from donations to the project – and over a third of the money comes from donations made by Second Life users. It is part of a broader programme managed by LLK, which includes finding sponsors to finance the education of children in Kenya, helping to provide them with everything they need: uniforms, shoes, text books, school supplies, etc., and even building a school in Nakuru, Kenya.
In addition, the organisation also provides medical and dental care for children, including check-ups and vaccinations. 100% of the donations received by LLK are transferred directly to Kenya to care for children, provide education, medicine, food, shelter and foster care. Nothing is lost to salaries, fees or administrative costs at LLK.
The Feed A Smile kiosk just inside the entrance to Caitinara Bar
To mark this modest collaboration, we have located a number of Feed A Smile donation kiosks around the key venues and locations in the park: the landing point, at the stage area on the Art Hill, at the Pavilion live events venue and, of course, in Caitinara Bar. We very much hope that when visiting the park, should you enjoy your time, you will consider making a donation to Feed A Smile in lieu of the more usual venue tips (we prefer not to take venue tips at the park).
Also, as we do not charge for the use of our venue spaces, we also ask that anyone booking and using them to please consider a donation to Feed A Smile / advertising the boards during their event.
The limos start to arrive at the spotlights roam the skies outside Caitinara Bar
On Wednesday, February 8th, we opened the new look Caitinara Bar with our monthly Music With Anthony theme night – an opportunity for friends and guests to dress up and come along to the bar and have a little extra fun and conversation.
As February is the month of the Academy Awards, we’d decided to have our own celebration of the music and songs from award-winning films over the decades, as well as music and songs from this year’s nominees. To help set the mood, we did a little decorating as well: spotlight swivelling across the skies outside, a red carpet extending from roadside into the bar, complete with photo backdrop for those wanting to grab a snap or two (we kept the paparazzi outside!), and Oscar himself adorning the walls.
Ylva, Patti and Kerena
As people began to arrive, so the music started to play – Anthony had selected some of the more recent hits from major award-winning films, and as more arrived so the requests came in as well. Of course, there were the classics, like Moon River (Breakfast at Tiffany’s), When You Wish Upon A Star (Pinocchio), Windmills of Your Mind (The Thomas Crown Affair, 1968), to the songs we perhaps grew up with, like Up Where We Belong (An Officer and a Gentleman), through to more recent ballads, such as Adele’s Skyfall – and many, many more.
Everyone took to the evening in style, the gents looking dapper and dashing, the ladies glittering in frocks and gowns, and the conversation flowed around the music. sadly, we didn’t get the red carpet photos we’d hoped, but the sekrit camera was floating around the dance floor, allowing me to capture the odd shot or two :). If you’re not included in the pictures here, my apologies – I’ll make sure to catch you at the next event!
Bou, Anthony, Sam and Sister
If you couldn’t make it to this month’s special event, our next is on Wednesday, March 1st, when we’ll be featuring the music of the New Romantics. BUT! Don’t forget we have music and dancing at the bar every Wednesday and Friday, from 4:00pm through 6:00pm SLT on each evening, with Anthony Westburn providing the tunes on Wednesdays and Joy Canadeo playing them on Fridays.
So, why not make a note in your diaries and come along and join us? And don’t forget as well, Holly Kai Park is always open for visits, complete with our regular art exhibitions and displays.
Holly Kai Park – with the new north-east design to the right
As many readers of this blog know, I both curate the Art at the Park exhibitions at Holly Kai Park, and help to look after the park itself, taking care of landscaping, layout etc. In addition, Caitlyn and I run a small music venue there – Caitinara Bar.
Earlier in the year, Nber Medici, the region’s owner, asked me if a part of the park could be altered to provide room for some of her collection of 2D and 3D art which she has put together over the years, making it something of a Second Life art archive. After some discussion, we decided to re-work the north-east corner of the park, which has been home a quiet art garden and the beach with Caitinara Bar.
The steps up from the Art Park to the new plateau
Unfortunately, I can’t really do “small” changes … so what started out as the intent to keep things much as they were quickly became a major brainstorming session, which in turn culminated in an extensive rebuild of that corner of the park. Hence why, for a time recently, my blogging activities dropped off for several days!
Anyway, the larger part of the work is now done, and the new build is in place. If you’ve visited Holly Kai Park in the past, or if you’re a regular to the park or Caitinara Bar, the changes are pretty obvious, being marked by an extension to the Park’s rocky plateau.
This new rocky outcrop, higher than the main elevation in the park and linked to it by stone steps, will eventually be home to the Medici Collection, featuring both indoor and outdoor displays of 2D and 3D art from Nber’s collection. Right now, the footpaths and buildings are in place, but we’re still sorting through the art, so it will be a little while longer before things are in place and the landscaping is finished.
Going underground: the entrance to the new Caitinara Bar, with steps up to the level above
Directly below this, and accessed via a cave-like opening, is the new Caitinara Bar, which grew out of a suggestion from Caitlyn that we try going underground. It’s a little large than the old beach side bar, with arched brick ceilings and walls, new seating – it even has an actual bar at one end!
We’ll continue to host our Wednesday and Friday night music events at the bar with our DJs Anthony Westburn and Joy Canadeo. In fact, we’ll be christening the new bar on Wednesday, February 8th with a special event celebrating the Academy Awards, so there’s an excuse to don gowns and evening suits and come on over and see the place for yourself!
The north end of the area, reached via an extended Park Walk, will now offer interactive 3D art displays, including Reflections at Midnight, donated by Frankx Lefarve.
The Holly Kai River now sports a new set of falls
We’ll be re-starting the Art at the Park series very soon. But in the meantime, if you fancy visiting the park, you are more than welcome to do so, and Caitinara Bar offers a warm, friendly greeting and great musics every Wednesday and Friday, between 16:00 and 18:00 SLT. Hope to see you there one evening!
On Wednesday December 14th, between 16:00 and 18:00 SLT, we’ll be celebrating the best of the Christmas and seasonal songs with a special holiday Music with Anthony at Caitinara Bar.
It will be a great way to start your holiday celebrations – despite the bar being on a beach, we’ve ordered in some special seasons looks and even arranged some snow and a turkey dinner for anyone feeling peckish!
Anthony will be playing all the famous hits, old and new and will be taking requests from our guests. And if you feel like it – why not come dressed for the occasion – formal or fun, naughty or nice, all those with the festive spirit are welcome! So, we’ll hope you’ll join us in celebrating the season, and just maybe looking back over the year and forward to 2017 as we dance under the snow and the stars.
We look forward to seeing you! And please set your viewer to midnight on arriving, if it doesn’t take the parcel settings automatically.
Opening at 12:00 noon SLT on Saturday, December 3rd, 2016, is the last Art at the Park exhibition at Holly Kai Park.
Joining us to see out the year are Owl Dragonash, Kayly Iali, Frankx Lefavre, Kody Meyers, Bluesrocker Resident, and Caitlin Tobias, and I’m delighted to have all of them appearing at the park through until the end of December 2016. And here’s a little more about each of them.
I’m particularly delighted to see Owl Dragonash at the Park. I imply no favouritism here, but I’ve been wanting to have Owl join us ever since I took on curating the exhibition spaces at Holly Kai. But circumstances have meant it’s not worked out – until now.
Owl’s art – and her writing – are always thought-provoking, evocative, and beautifully conceived and presented. I’ve been in awe of her work for a long time, and through it, she has taught me a few things which I hope have improved my own attempts at SL photography.
For her time at Holly Kai, Owl presents a series of images which reflect both her love of places in Second Life, and her exploration of personal expression through her avatar. When not photographing, exploring or writing, Owl host art exhibitions and handles booking live music artists for Commune Utopia. More of her work can be seen on her Flickr stream.
Physical world artist Kayly Iali both presents her work in Second Life and promotes the art of other artists through her galleries. I’m particularly in her debt for introducing me to Silas Merlin and Sheba Blitz, so her appearance at Holly Kai Park is a genuine delight.
Kayly entered art in 2009, and started exhibiting in Second Life in 2010. Her pieces are expressive oil paintings which she produces in one or two sittings, allowing them to appear as fresh as her subjects. She was recently selected for entry into a major regional art competition, the Crocker/Kingsley Art Competition – and was just one of 75 selected to participate out of 1200 applicants.
I’ve admired Frankx Lefarve’s immersive 3D art environments ever since his debut appearance at the Linden Endowment for the Arts in January 2014 with Glass and Light. There is a spectacular beauty in his use of light, colour and form which is exquisite; his installations often incorporate elements which look as if they have been spun from glass and transported in-world.
Whether full region installations, such as those presented at the LEA, or smaller pieces such as those produced for the UWA or SL Birthday celebrations, Frankx never fails to stun and delight the eye. His art can also be deeply personal. With Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor for example, he explores his experiences in dealing with anxiety and depression; it’s an evocative piece, one I sought to try to capture in both words and film.
For Holly Kai Park, Frankx presents his interactive Reflections at Midnight – please follow the instructions on the board leading up to it in order to enjoy it to the fullest – and Oracle.
“Capturing the wonderful ambiance and environments created by so many talented landscapers in Second Life is my way to relax and explore my imagination,” Kody Meyers says of his photography. “Each picture depicts a story or is a reminder of an experience one can reflect upon when admiring it. As a perfectionist, I take the time necessary to capture the picture, experimenting with different angles, framing and windlights, until the perfect shot is created — the one that comes alive.”
The result is work which, whether focused on an avatar or a landscape or piece of art, never fails to captivate the eye and hold the attention – as can be seen from his Flickr stream. I’ve long admired Kody’s work at exhibitions in Second Life, and am very pleased to welcome him to Holly Kai Park.
“I’ve been involved in the arts most of my life,” Bluesrocker Resident says of himself. “Coming from a musical background, I have had a very keen appreciation of the creative process, whether it be in music, the performing arts, painting, writing or photography. Having that interest sparked my involvement in the artistic possibilities of Second Life.
“I much prefer shooting out on location in the multitude of amazing sims which populate SL than in a studio, as I feel I get much better results that way,” he continues. “Since starting seriously taking photographs in SL about two years ago, I have broadened my horizons in what wonders this virtual world has to offer. Really, the only limits are those of the imagination.”
I’ve shared a number of exhibitions with Bluesrocker, and have always been intrigued by his work. His involvement and fascination with the creative process is readily apparent in his work, which is richly diverse in content and approach. This latter point is illustrated by the selection of images he has brought to Art at the Park, and can further be seen throughout his Flickr stream.
Caitlin Tobias has always lived her Second Life to the full. A former C:si combat player, specialising in the katana, she has been and active blogger and photographer since 2012, and has gained a rightful reputation for emotive, evocative, richly layered images which not only illustrate her blog and Flickr stream, but have also graced the pages of the RFL Fantasy Faire website.
“Taking pictures in Second Life is a hobby and I do not consider myself an SL Artist,” Caitlin says modestly. I’m not sure I agree; the artistry in her work is readily apparent, and amply demonstrated in her exhibit, Come As You Are.
“I asked six good friends one simple question, would you pose with me? And the answer to their question on what to wear was: ‘Come as you are’. It is not just posing, it is about accepting friends – as they are. I have used the same pose (by Del May) for all six and the men in them are: Almost Finished (nearly.doune), Temperance Haalan (tem.haalan), Huckleberry Hax, Grabriel (gabriel4botto.resident), JC Underwood and Brad Zeurra, and I want to thank them so much for their time and patience!”
You can also try your hand at photographing yourself and a friend using the provided poses and backdrop.
My thanks to all of the above artists for participating in Art at the Park, and I hope you’ll pay them a via at Holly Kai Park between now and December 31st.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 